Flower of the Desert
by christos200
Summary: Obi Wan Kenobi has been traumatized by his duel with Anakin. He had to watch his best friend and apprentice being burned alive. A broken man whose past haunts him and nightmares keep him awake at night, he goes to Tatooine to look after Anakin's son. But a fateful encounter with a young woman, Nara, will shake his entire life and make him question all of his beliefs.
1. Chapter 1 - A New Beginning

_'Obi Wan Kenobi has been traumatized by his duel with Anakin. He had to watch his best friend and apprentice being burned alive. A broken man whose past haunts him and nightmares keep him awake at night, he goes to Tatooine to look after Anakin's son. But a fateful encounter with a young woman, Nara, will shake his entire life and make him question all of his beliefs.'_

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 **STAR WARS**

 **Flower of the Desert**

 ** _Chapter 1 - A New Beginning_**

 _"Memories warm you up from the inside. But they also tear you apart." - Haruki Murakami_

A sigh. That was the only sound that could be heard in the endless track of desert that was Tatooine. The one sighing was a bearded man in his thirties. His long brown robe was that of a Jedi Master, but he was a Master without a pupil. He was a relic of another era; there was no Jedi Order anymore. The ancient order of 'space wizards', as the common people called them, had extinguished. Their fall was a surprisingly quiet and fast affair. It took only a few days. He, Ben Kenobi his name, was one of the few who survived.

Ben could still remember the fountains at the Jedi Temple in Coruscant. He used to meditate there, listening to the trickling sound of water. Now the water had fallen still. The room of a thousand fountains lied empty; it was a graveyard. A graveyard dedicated not to a man, but rather to the spirit of the Jedi Order, which had died. The technological might of the Clone troopers had prevailed over the spirituality of the ancient Jedi; Order 66 demonstrated this fact.

The twin suns of the planet beat down on Ben and there was not even a wisp of cloud to soften the harsh rays. Each of his steps sunk into the searing sand. The air was thick and hazy. The stiff, dry desert breeze blew sand into his eyes. Ben was no stranger to hardship; he had fought on countless battlefields during the Clone Wars. Yet, he had to admit that this journey through the Tatooine desert was an exhausting one.

Ben couldn't help but look back to the past and think about it. Even if he wanted to forget it, even if he wanted not to think about it, his mind wouldn't let his memories fade into irrelevance; indeed, as time passed, Ben found himself thinking more and more about the past, remembering past memories, past friendships. He had questions that needed to be answered. Why did the Order fall so easily? Why was his pupil corrupted by the dark side? Had Anakin failed the Jedi Order or had the Order failed Anakin?

When he was in Mustafar and in the first days after that duel, he was content with easy explanations. His friend was the victim of the schemes of Palpatine, who twisted and corrupted him. The Order fell due the betrayal of the Clones. Yet, now that he was in Tatooine, those answered did not satisfy him anymore. Were the Jedi right to ban emotions? Was making an Order of peacemakers head of soldiers the correct thing to do? Did the teachings of the Order needed reevaluation?

Ben kept walking across the endless waves of sand dunes. Heat rained down on him like the breath of hell. The arid heat burnt at his lung. After a few hours, the twin suns began to set. The desert at twilight was a vast undulating sea and the sand dunes looked like waves. Heat gave its way to chilling coldness. The temperature was below freezing because once the suns were down, the sand began releasing heat. His blood ran cold through his veins and his bones were chilled. His teeth chattered.

"The village must be nearby...", he said, trying to reassure himself. If he was to look after his apprentice's son, he had to stay somewhere. The desert was not the best place for one to stay, so Ben was heading towards a village that was near enough to allow him to monitor Luke but far enough to ensure that he was not seen.

Suddenly, behind a sand hill, he could finally see the shape of buildings. He rushed forward towards the village. As it was night, Ben was the only person outside. Having reached his destination, he allowed himself to smile and relax. He gazed at the millions of bright stars and the silver glow of the twin moons on the dark sky. The stars looked like fireflies, illuminating the atramentous curtain of sky. It was a beauty which could only be seen in such a place. In Coruscant, with the thousand of speeders and tall skyscrapers, it was not possible to witness such a sight. Ben walked inside an inn, which was crude and simple to the extreme, with earthen walls and mud floors. The owner, a grizzly old man with a red nose, was sitting on a chair and smoking a pipe. He was half-asleep.

"Excuse me", Ben said, "are you the owner of this inn?"

The old man immediately woke up, got up and smiled. "Of course!", he replied. "Name is John. John Haldon. If you are searching for a room, this is the right place! My prices are low and the quality of the inn is the best you will find!"

Ben wasn't very convinced about that last claim, but he had to stay here. He did not mind much the simplicity of the inn and he was sure that there was no other inn in such a small village. "I want to rent a room. I plan to stay here for a few days at the very least."

Hearing this, John grinned. Ben was sure that owner had not seen a costumer for a long time for him to be so enthusiastic and happy. Considering the remoteness of the village, this did not surprise much Ben. He then asked, "Since you are a local and know the goings on of this place, do you know where I can find a job here?"

"This isn't a place with many opportunities for finding a job, but you are lucky. Jolee has been getting on with the years and wants to hire an assistant for his emporium. You look like the right sort of man for this job."

John then led Ben to his room. He lied on the bed. As time passed, his eyes felt heavier and heavier. He finally closed his eyes and fell into sleep. But even in his dreams he could not find peace. He dreamed about Anakin and their duel on Mustafar. He relived their entire duel, the moment when he crippled Anakin and let him burn. He could remember the agony in Anakin's face as his entire body was engulfed in fire. Ben woke up and breathed heavily. He sighed.

"Can't I find peace even in such a remote place?", he wondered.

Next morning, the yellow shining suns started rising from the ground. They filled the sky with mighty colors of red. As streaks of sunlight penetrated the room's windows, Ben woke up. He left his room and headed to Jolee's emporium. Jolee was an old man with white beard and hair and a wrinkled face. As soon as Ben walked into his shop, Jolee welcomed him with a smile on his face.

"Hello costumer", he said, "how may I be of help?"

"I have been told that I can find a job here."

Jolee grinned. "John told you, didn't he? I am indeed looking for an assistant. But, before I hire you, I must ask you some questions. Who are you and where you come from?"

"My name is Ben. I...I come from Coruscant."

Jolee could understand that Ben did not want to reveal too much about himself. He guessed that Ben wanted to make a new start and leave behind his old life for some reason. But while he did not know much about him, he could tell that he looked like a fine and upright man. "I will hire you.", Jolee said. "Since you are foreigner here, I can give you a place to stay and food instead of cash."

"That sounds good to me", Ben said. It would cost him far less than having to pay rent to John. "When do I begin the work?"

"Right now, I would say.", Jolee replied. "Unless you need some time to take care of stuff."

"No, I can begin work right away."

"Good, because I've got a job to take care of."

As Ben was waiting for costumers, his mind took him away. He remembered when he and Anakin had come to Tatooine for a mission during the Clone Wars. They were looking for a wanted military officer who had been supplying the Confederates with military secrets. During their encounter with him, he threw a rocket at them. Ben was wounded; his shoulder was bleeding profoundly and he had collapsed on the ground. If it wasn't for his student, he would have been killed. Anakin braced the rockets and blaster shots of the enemy and managed to kill him and save his Master. Alas, all this had changed.

"Hello."

Ben was brought back to reality. A young man had entered the shop. His face was delicate and handsome, with short black hair, aquiline nose and green eyes. From his dress, a long black robe, Ben could tell that the man was not a local.

"How may I be of help?", Ben politely said.

"I want a medic kit."

Ben froze. He could feel that the Force was strong in that man; it was uncultivated but powerful. It was raw force. As he went to bring the medic kit, he asked; "If you do not mind me asking that question, what is your name?"

"James.", the man nonchalantly replied.

Ben brought the medic kit and handed it over to James. "It is ten credits."

James gave the money to Ben. "You are not local, are you?", Ben asked.

"No. Why the sudden interest in me?"

Ben grinned. "Forgive my curiosity. You just reminded me of an old friend of mine.", he said. Of course, this was just a lie. Ben was not sure if he wanted to talk to James about his prowess in the Force. 'Maybe it is better if he does not know. I cannot teach him and even if I did, it would draw attention. Not to say that with the Empire hunting down Jedi, he would become a target.', he thought.

"Is your friend's name Max?", James asked.

"What?"

"You said that I look like a friend of yours."

"Ah yes!", Ben said and awkwardly smiled. "No, that is not his name."

At that moment, Jolee returned to the shop. He said, "Are you searching for someone named Max?"

"Yes.", James replied. "Max Kraat. Have you heard of him?"

"I have. And who you may be?"

"His son."

Jolee's face became ashen white and he gaped with astonishment. "You are his son?"

"Yes, although I've never met him. My mother told me his name when she died. Since then, I've been searching for him. It is one year since I began this quest."

Jolee sighed. "Max never spoke much about his past… Unfortunately, he left this place just a month ago. He should be in Dantooine."

Ben handed James forty credits. "Its not much, but it should help you for your journey. I wish I could be of more help."

"I am thankful for your assistance.", James said. "I hope one day I can repay your favor to me."

"Good luck.", Ben said. 'And may the Force be with you...', he thought.

James rushed out of the shop. Jolee, smiling, said, "It seems I was right when I guessed that you are an upright person. You did well to help that kid."

"I do not deserve such praise. I believe it is what everyone would do."

At that moment, a young woman walked into the shop. She had brown hair, hazel eyes, and light skin. "Uncle!", she said. "I..."

She paused when she saw Ben. "Hi.", she said. "You are…?"

"He is Ben.", Jolee said. "He is my new employee."

He then turned to Ben and said, "She is Nara, my niece."

"Glad to meet you.", Ben said and awkwardly smiled.

"Uncle, I need a power converter."

Jolee motioned Ben and he brought a power converter and handed it over to Nara.

"Thanks.", she said and smiled. Her smile was warm, genuinely sweet but also shy. Ben felt an unexpected warmth rushing through him. That smile had a soothing effect on him, he felt calm for the first time in weeks.

As Nara left the shop, Ben could a feel a spark of the Force in her. It surprised him. 'Is she really Force sensitive?', he wondered. 'Bah, it must be my imagination.'


	2. Chapter 2 - Enter Vader

I want to thank SkeevySheev and LoveFiction2017 for their reviews. Hope everyone enjoys this chapter too.

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 ** _Chapter 2 - Enter Vader  
_**

 _"If you wear a mask for too long, there will come a time when you can not remove it without removing your face." - Matshona Dhliwayo_

Space was like a dark curtain, contrasting with blacks and yellows, and the occasional white, which was shaped as a circle and sometimes a crescent. Thousands of bright stars and planets dotted that curtain in a intricate pattern. Suddenly, a menacing shadow overshadowed one of the smaller planets. It was the shadow of a Star Destroy traveling in space. Its engines emitted a sound like the singing of whales. It was the only sound that could be heard in the silent and empty coldness of space. On its bridge, overlooking the thousands of sequin-silver stars, was a lone towering dark figure; Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith. His mere presence was enough to frighten the officers on the bridge. His mechanical breathing instilled fear on everyone hearing it. To them, he was no human; he was a cold, ruthless enforcer who was more of a droid than a man. He had no feelings, no soul. He was a machine.

That was the face Vader wanted to present to the world, that was the mask he was wearing. For, besides the mask that hid his face, he also wore a mask that hid Anakin Skywalker the man. Anakin was passionate about everything; he was passionate in love and hate, he was passionate about his friends and enemies. Vader was cold and indifferent. Anakin was a man controlled by his feelings. Vader seemingly had no feelings. Behind the mask, however, Vader still had some feelings; he still could not accept the fact that Padme had died nor could he wash away his feelings of guilt for causing her death. He could not forget the sweet and bitter moments he shared with her. As much as he would like to pretend that those were the memories of another man, of Anakin Skywalker who Vader had killed, he could not get them out of his mind.

He could still remember when he was holding her hand in Naboo and they were gazing together the amazing scenery that is sunset from the balcony. The sun cast its golden rays down upon the clouds of billowing smoke, turning them bright red; fire red. The sky was like a painting, one that no mortal human could ever hope to draw. Birds were chirping, singing a melody that no man could compete nor replicate. They were smiling, they were in love and optimistic about the future. Even though Vader could remember every detail of that day and could not forget it, it now felt distant, sketchy; like an ink wash painting or a dream.

Vader knew that he was the one who killed that dream, the one who caused Padme's death. He did not dare to admit it and liked to blame Obi Wan for her death, but deep inside him he knew the truth. That was the reason he had all those feelings of guilt plaguing him. He tried to convince himself that he was innocent, that all of this was Kenobi's fault but he could not wash away his guilt. All those feelings and memories tortured Vader; he was a crippled man, both physically and psychologically. Vader wore the mask of the emotionless enforcer to intimidate others; but he also wore it to hide his mental scars. He felt more at ease being a machine than being a man and having to confront all those feelings.

A Chiss officer approached Vader. He was wearing a white officers' uniform, which consisted of a double-breasted tunic with a round collar and matching trousers, a pair of black boots and a dark belt. Being a Chiss, the officer had blue skin and possessed red eyes and dark blue hair. He was tall and looked refined. "Lord Vader", he said, "I am admiral Thrawn. I have been send by His Imperial Majesty to aid you in your quest to hunt down the remaining Jedi."

"I have been informed of your arrival.", Vader nonchalantly said, not even bothering to look at Thrawn. "I have also read the report of Grand Admiral Joan. In it he said that you are a brilliant but overly ambitious officer; that despite being young, you show signs of greatness. I hope you will not prove him wrong."

"I won't dare to disappoint you, my Lord."

Thrawn paused for a moment and a smug smirk appeared on his face. "I am pleased to report to you that I have already discovered the location of a Jedi; Max Kraat."

"I am impressed.", Vader admitted. "My spies have been searching for him for some time with no success. Even before Order 66, few knew his whereabouts as he was in espionage missions all over the galaxy. Where is he?"

"Dantooine. We are almost there."

The Star Destroyer was indeed near Dantooine; it was a lucky coincidence for Vader, since he could seize the opportunity to kill Max at once. Vader headed to the hangar to board his shuttle. The shuttle had three wings: one tall, dorsal stabilizer that remained stationary, and two lower wings that would extend during flight and fold upward for landing. It was mounted with two forward-facing double laser cannons. Vader boarded the ship and navigated it to the planet. He could sense the presence of a powerful Master, the raw and wild power he wielded, and used this sense to guide him to his location.

"How could I not have sensed it before?", Vader wondered. "Its so powerful."

The shuttle landed on a grassland. Vader unlocked the outer hatch of shuttle, lowered the ramp and walked out. There were hundreds of wild flowers which were glowing with bright colored butterflies. The flowers lay scattered on the grass like frozen flames. Their petals were delicate works of art. The sweet smell of the flowers cut through the soft scent of the grass. It was then when Vader gazed at the one who was the source of all this power he had felt; it was not the old and respected Jedi Master but a young man.

Vader ignited his red lightsaber and asked, "Where is Max Kraat?"

"Dead.", the young man nonchalantly replied. His voice was resigned and weary. He felt the kind of silent sadness that seeps into your bones. That young man was none other than James. Thanks to the information Jolee had given to him, he was able to find his father; or rather his grave. He had died only a few days before James had arrived on the planet. James could only pay his respects to his father's grave, which was located in this grassland.

"You are his...son?"

"What if I am? You will kill me?", James defiantly said.

"No, but I can offer you a chance to harness your power. You have great strength inside you, you just need someone to instruct you on how to properly use it. You can have a great destiny by my side."

James laughed. "Why do you think I would join someone like you?"

"I am about to find out..."

Vader could sense James' feelings, he could read his thoughts. James touched his forehead and said, "What are you doing?". He was feeling an excruciating headache as Vader probed into his mind.

"You know that you are weak", Vader said, "you still blame yourself for your mother's death. She was killed by local gangsters and you could not do anything to prevent it. Now that you have learned that your father was a Jedi and you have such powers, you feel even more guilt. If only you had harnessed that power before, your mother may not have died. I can read your mind like an open book. I can feel the hatred in you, the anger, the anguish. Give in to your feelings. They will make you powerful, strong."

James knew that Vader was right; if he had been trained in the Jedi way, his mother would not have died. If his father had not abandoned them, he would be living a normal life. "My father was a Jedi. How can I side with you?"

"You father would not have abandoned you if it wasn't for the Jedi code. It is that rigid code that destroyed your life, that pulled apart your family. Do you want to die defending that code?"

James could feel the muscles of his chin tremble. His eyes dripped with tears. He struggled to keep a steady beat. He let himself bow before Vader and said, "I have nowhere else to go. I want you to teach me how to harness my power, how to become a powerful warrior."

* * *

Ben screamed. He woke up. His breathing was ragged and there was cold sweat on his forehead. He got up from his bed and calmed himself. The grinding of his teeth stopped, and his ragged breathing began to slow. Ben was staying in a small crude room on the back of Jolee's emporium. It wasn't much, but it was a place to stay and he did not have to pay for it. During the last few nights he was staying here, he had nightmares; he was reliving his final battle with Anakin that had traumatized him or seeing old friends who had been killed during Order 66. But this time he had felt exceptionally distressed. It wasn't simply a nightmare, a reliving of a painful memory; rather, it was a feeling that something terrible had happened, a feeling that evil had won somewhere.

Ben dressed up and walked out of the room. He wanted to inhale some fresh air and calm his mind, to clear it of all thoughts. As he walked, he got out of the village and headed towards the sand dunes; from there he could clearly see the night sky and relax. When he reached the sand dunes, to his surprise there was a person lying on one of the sand dunes and gazing at the bright stars, a never ending void of light on the pitch black sky. As he approached, he saw that this person was none other than Nara, Jolee's niece.

"Hello.", Ben said.

Nara let out a scream. Her heart was racing and she only calmed down when she turned around and saw that it was Ben the one who talked to her.

"I am really sorry", Ben apologized, "I did not mean to scare you. I was...just..."

Ben stuttered. He did feel somewhat awkward due to the situation.

Nara blushed and smiled. Her blushing gave her cheeks an attractive rosiness, which was cute. "I am the only one from the village that comes here late at night. That's why I got scared."

She paused for a moment. "You have trouble sleeping?"

"Yes.", Ben admitted and sighed. "I haven't slept well for weeks. What about you?"

"I come here because I love gazing at the stars. They are like jewels. I hope that one day I can visit each one of them; I want to see those places and meet new people. Have you been to many planets? Are they beautiful?"

Ben smiled. "I've traveled a lot and have visited many worlds. A lot of them are really beautiful; some have endless grasslands filled with flowers that perfume the air with their heavy and fragrant scent, others have endless oceans, with clear turquoise water. I still remember the ocean on Qui, the way the sun shone off the rippling water, its golden light warped in the twisted waves..."

"Sounds wonderful. If only one day I can gaze at such an amazing scenery..."

Ben's heart felt somewhat heavy; Nara had always been in this small village in the midst of the desert and had never seen such amazing sights. He understood how she felt, for when he was at her age and had not traveled across the galaxy he felt just like her; he was excited to see new worlds and felt disappointment and a sense of sadness when he had to be confined to the Jedi Temple for training.

"I promise that I will help you one day visit those worlds."

Nara smiled and her mood became immediately happy. "Great. Hope that day comes soon!"

Ben too smiled. For some reason he could not understand, Nara always brought the best in him; she made him forget the past and smile, laugh. He could not explain why he felt that way but he was happy that he could find some peace, for the moment at least.


	3. Chapter 3 - Force Awakens

LoveFiction2017, thanks for your review.

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 _ **Chapter 3 - Force Awakens**_

 _"Awakening will be sudden and shocking." - L.J. Smith_

Colors spread across the sky announcing the new day; oranges and reds painted across the clouds as if by a celestial hand. The twin suns of Tatooine were shining brilliantly on the morning sky. Although it was very early in the morning, Ben had already wakened up and was waiting for costumers in Jolee's emporium. Although he was still having nightmares and was still spending too much time pondering about his past, Ben was feeling slightly better than before. Although others would describe the village and his job as boring, to Ben they were exactly what he wanted; peaceful and far away from the conflicts and wars that had troubled him for so long. Gone were the duels and battles of the past; gone were the times when he was forced to witness the slaughter of his men by the enemy artillery or the deaths of countless civilians due to brutal and unrestricted warfare.

Yet, however peaceful this place was, Ben could still not put behind all that had happened in the last few months. How Anakin fell to the dark, how the ancient Jedi Order collapsed, how the Republic was replaced by a tyrannical Empire. Ben could not help but feel some guilt about all this. After all, it was he who taught Anakin. If Anakin did not turn out to be a good Jedi, then part of the blame should lie with him, or so he was thinking. His melancholy mood hung over him like a black cloud. His face was frowning and he was sighing. Jolee noticed that; he could not know what troubled Ben but he could understand that Ben was scarred by his past.

"I see that you are troubled.", Jolee said. "I do not want to intrude into your personal affairs nor bother you, but if you ever need someone to talk with I am here."

"Thank you but I would rather to not entangle you into my personal problems. "

Ben wanted to speak to someone about his troubles and problems. Yet, he could not do so. He could not reveal that he was a Jedi Master nor did he want to entangle the people of the village into his personal problems; if he did, he would endanger their lives. Thus, he was all alone, having to hide his real self from others, having to keep to himself everything that troubled him.

It was at that moment when someone entered the shop; it was none other than Nara. Upon seeing her, Ben instinctively smiled. 'Every time I feel sad, Nara makes me smile and forget all of my worries', Ben thought.

"Hi Ben.", she said. She then turned to her uncle and said, "I need to go to Tosche Station, will you come with me?"

"I have business here.", Jolee said. "I cannot go with you."

Nara frowned. "I do not want to make this entire journey alone, it will be boring."

She paused for a moment and smiled. "Maybe I can go with Ben! What do you say? It will be fun."

"I…have…job to do. I cannot leave the shop.", Ben replied.

"You can go.", Jolee said. "You do not need to worry about the shop. I am here. It will be fun. You should get a day off."

"Well, then I guess I will be coming with you there."

"Great!", Nara said and smiled. Her smile shined like the stars in the sky. It was like the sun opened its eager light to shine about her, only brightening her perfectly aligned teeth. Ben was less happy, however. He could tell that Nara was getting attached to him and he was getting attached to her. He had hoped to avoid such attachments during his stay in this village.

* * *

John Haldon walked into Jolee's emporium with a grin on his face. He greeted Jolee and said, "Hello. Do you have work to do? If not, we can sit down and talk a bit. We haven't chatted for a while."

Jolee laughed. "Indeed. This damn work has been taking up too much of our time. Since there are no costumers, I guess we can chat a bit."

John looked around for a moment. "Where is that…Ben is his name? Yes, that employee of yours…"

"He has gone with Nara to Tosche Station. Hopefully they will have some fun time there."

Jolee paused for a moment and sighed. "This Ben seems to be always frowning. I rarely see him smile. He is a good and hardworking man, so I gave him this day off hoping that he will have some fun and stop being melancholic all the time."

"I see… By the way, have you heard the news about the sand people?"

"What news?"

John sighed. "Alex told me that while he was traveling they attacked him on his way back here."

"Weird…sand people do not usually come to this place."

"Indeed. I've heard plenty of rumors about why they have moved closer to our place but it is impossible to know which one is true."

* * *

Ben and Nara were heading to Tosche Station with Nara's landspeeder. The twin suns brightened the clear blue sky and the wind stirred up the sand. This was the first time in a long time that Ben was going somewhere not to fight or hide but to have fun. Ben had almost forgotten what going out with friends was like. In those last years he had to fight battle after battle, go from one graveyard to another. 'If only Anakin was with me…', he thought. 'We could be laughing right now… it would be like old times.'

"My uncle tells me that you always frown and look troubled. What is bothering you?", Nara asked him.

Ben put on a fake smile to hide his pain. "It's nothing of importance. There is no need to spoil your mood and make you worry about my problems."

"If you speak about your problems to a friend, it will make you feel better. "

Ben sighed. "Maybe you are right… I miss an old friend of mine. Unfortunately, we got into a fight and now…he is gone."

"I am sorry to hear that. This must have been very hard for you."

Before Ben could reply, six figures appeared on the horizon. "Who are they?", Ben asked when a shot was fired at their landspeeder. As those figures came closer, Ben and Nara saw that they were wearing a mask that covered their face and sand-shrouds. They were armed with laser muskets.

"What are sand people doing here?", Nara said.

Ben jumped out of the landspeeder and, dodging enemy fire, sprinted towards them. He grabbed the musket of one sand man and punched his fist on his face, knocking him out. A second sand man attempted to shoot Ben but he grabbed his musket too and threw it away. Ben then charged forward and attacked the sand man with both fists, one of which slammed into his shoulder. The sand man took hold of Ben's wrist and struck out at his elbow in retaliation. With his free hand, Ben swung at the sand man's other shoulder and the two leaped apart.

At that moment, the other sand people fired at Ben. Although he was a very fast warrior and had years of experience in fighting, Ben could not dodge all enemy fire; he was shot on his shoulder. It bled profoundly and he let out a cry. Ben did not wanted to use the Force and reveal himself to be a Jedi but he knew that he had to do so at this point.

Before he could do so, one of the sand people aimed his musket at him and was about to kill him. Suddenly, Nara shouted "No!" and all of the Sand People were sent flying in all directions, as if a powerful gust of wind had hit them. Ben gaped with astonishment; Nara had used the Force to push away the sand people. 'She indeed is Force sensitive!', he thought. 'Does she know about her abilities?'

Nara was terrified and crying. She couldn't breathe; it felt as if someone was choking her. Her heart was racing. "Why did this happen again? How did I do that?"

"Calm down. There is no need to be scared of your abilities.", Ben said, trying to assure her that everything would be all right. "Has this ever happened before?"

"Yes… When I was a kid, I and my family lived in another nearby village. Once, I got really angry and screamed like I did just now. And just like now, everyone was pushed away. The villagers were scared of me and called me 'demon girl'. They said I was a witch. Eventually, we had to move to this village to my uncle."

She paused for a moment. She was surprised to see that Ben wasn't afraid of her or angry at her. "Most people who know about this are afraid of me or hate me. Why are you not the same?"

Ben was not sure what to do next. He was afraid that revealing to her that she was Force sensitive could put her in danger. On the other hand, if she was not taught how to control her abilities and accidentally revealed them, she could risk death. 'Am I the right person to teach her about the Force?', he wondered. 'I failed to teach my first disciple properly and he fell to the dark side and betrayed the Jedi Order. If I teach Nara will I lead to her to the right path or shall she end up like Anakin?'

"The reason I am not afraid of your abilities is because I too have those abilities.", Ben said. "I am a Force sensitive like you. In fact, I am a Jedi Master."

"You are…a Jedi Master?"

Ben used the Force to pull up a stone from the ground. Nara gaped in surprise as she saw Ben lifting the stone.

"I've heard about the Jedi before; how noble they were and how they helped the common people.", she said.

Nara bowed before Ben and said, "Can I become your disciple? Can you teach me the ways of the Force? I want to learn to use my abilities for good. I do not want to be terrified of them anymore."

"If you want to become a Jedi you must go through rigid training. You must also have a pure heart, to be kind and to have the whole world in your heart; to think of others before yourself, to put the happiness of the world before your own happiness, to be able to forgive and be merciful."

Ben paused for a moment. He remembered Anakin and Padme; how Anakin's love for Padme and fear of losing her led him to the dark side. "And there is one more rule; you cannot fall in love."

"I will do as you say.", Nara said. "I am determined to become Jedi."

"Then, once we return back to the village, we can begin your training. But you must remember; you must not tell anyone about this. If anyone finds out about this, we will both be in danger. The Empire is hunting down the remaining Jedi."

"I understand."

Nara could not remember a day she had been happier than this one. Since she was a kid, because of her abilities she felt different. She was terrified of them and yet could not speak to anyone about them nor seek assistance. Now, there was someone else besides her who had such abilities and who could teach her to use them. She was no longer terrified of herself nor did she feel alone anymore. She was also determined not to disappoint Ben and to do her best to follow his instructions.

'I hope I made the right choice taking her as my disciple.', Ben thought. 'I must not make the same mistakes I did when I was training with Anakin; I must be strict with her and instill to her proper understanding of how a Jedi should behave. And I should not get too emotionally attached to her as I did with Anakin.'


	4. Chapter 4 – Disciples of the Force

LoveFiction2017 and Gu Long, thanks for your reviews. Hope everyone enjoys this chapter too.

* * *

 **Chapter 4 – Disciples of the Force**

 _"_ _A life without having loved someone is a life never lived."- Abhijit Naskar_

Under a sky of perfect midnight velvet, under stars so brilliant and bright, Nara was training; Ben was teaching her how to use her lightsaber. He had given to her a green lightsaber he was keeping with him. Its bright color gleamed in the pitch darkness of night. Nara was following Ben's instructions; she performed intricate and fast sword forms. Ben was pleasantry surprised at how fast Nara was learning to use the lightsaber.

"You have been making progress with the lightsaber.", he commented. "But you must remember that while learning to use the Force and your lightsaber are important, the most important thing for a Jedi to learn is to care for the entire world and have a kind heart. The most difficult thing to achieve is not to let your emotions rule over you. That's the reason Jedi forbid emotional attachments such as love."

"Master, have you ever fallen in love?", Nara asked.

Ben was taken aback by this question. He wished he could say no, but he had fallen in love in the past; with Duchess Satine Kyrze, leader of the Mandalorians. Yet, she was committed to her people and he was committed to the Jedi Order and they could not be together. Eventually, she was killed by Darth Maul. He remembered clearly that day. The pain and anger he felt after her death only confirmed to him the wisdom of the Jedi Order in banning emotional attachments. Anakin's fall to the dark side because of his desire to save Padme only strengthened that conviction of Ben.

"Yes.", Ben replied. "Once, I had fallen in love. It did not end well. Love can be sweet but it can also be most bitter. It can cause great happiness but also great sadness. While this may be fine and normal for common people, Jedi have great powers. With those powers comes great responsibility. If Jedi are not careful and do not control their emotions, it can lead to disaster."

He paused for a moment before continuing. "But now let us return back to our training. You must clear your mind of all questions and thoughts and focus on the present. Let the Force flow in you."

He pointed at a rock on the ground. "See that rock? Try to use the Force to lift it up."

Nara concentrated. She could feel the Force flowing inside her. She directed her energy at the rock. Suddenly, it started levitating and was lifted. Seeing this, Nara was filled with joy. She laughed and said, "This is awesome."

Ben smiled. He was proud of his disciple. "Good. But while you have mastered the basics of the Force and some of the lightsaber forms, you have little experience in real fighting."

Ben grabbed two wooden stuffs he had brought with him. He threw one to Nara and kept the other for himself. "It is one thing to know how to perform the sword forms and totally another to know how to use them in an actual battle."

Nara understood what Ben meant. Although she was previously able to perform intricate and fast movements with her lightsaber, now she was not sure which form to use and how to react to an enemy attack. Unlike when she was performing on her own, now she had to observe the enemy, decide the right course of action; she was lost in her thoughts.

"Always focus on where you are!", Ben shouted and hit Nara on the chest with his staff.

"Too slow.", he said. "You must react faster!"

Nara charged forward. The whooshing sound of the stuff revealed the great strength put into the attack. Ben blocked the attack with his own stuff but said, "Good! That was a good attack!"

'At last', Nara thought, 'I am becoming good at this'. Suddenly Ben's staff hit her back and caused her to fall on the ground. "Focus on the battle!", Ben barked. "Rule number one: always be on alert. You cannot predict what the enemy will do and when he will attack, so never let your guard down. If I was a real enemy, you would be dead by now."

Nara attacked again, this time determined to not let teacher down. She pretended to attack Ben's head and midway retreated by a step and changed the direction of the staff to Ben's chest. Ben was of course able to see through this deception and quickly blocked Nara's staff with his own, but he smiled. "You did well this time.", he remarked. "I will teach you one more sword form."

Ben instructed Nara on how to perform the sword form with her lightsaber. She tried to follow his instructions. Her movements were swift and fast but somewhat clumsy. Despite her best efforts, she could not perform correctly the sword form.

"Your movements are fast but not accurate and are a bit clumsy. Let me show you how to perform correctly the sword form", Ben said. He then stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her and holding her right hand to guide her. Her soft hair brushed his cheek. Nara trembled. She could feel his warm breath. Her cheeks were suddenly pink like a spring rose, the blooming color so cute against her skin. 'If this could last forever, I wouldn't ask for anything more in my life', she thought.

* * *

Darth Vader's Star Destroyer was travelling in endless void of darkness that is space. One of the rooms inside the ship was reserved for James; it was his 'training room', as they called it. Vader was personally overseeing his training and James was making rapid progress. His mastery of the Force and the lightsaber were both impressive. But this hadn't been achieved easily; Vader had James train many hours every day and mercilessly tortured him in order to make him get used to pain and to learn to overcome it. James was also taught a strange technique Vader had discovered in an ancient Sith holocron; Vader did so in order to test if the technique was powerful or not. Now, James was going to demonstrate this technique for his Master.

Two Stormtroopers pushed a man wearing torn clothes inside the training room: he was a convict brought from the Imperial prisons. Vader was using convicts in James' training, so that his apprentice could test his skills on living subjects. The poor man was utterly terrified and his face was ashen white. He was on his knees before James, crying and asking for mercy: "Please, spare me great Lord. Please! I shall-"

Before he could finish talking, James had already used the Force to bring him over to him. When he was close, James with a swift move penetrated the man's forehead with the fingers of his right hand. Blood was pouring on the man's face and he was screaming in pain. When James pulled his fingers out of the man's forehead, he was already dead.

"Excellent!", Vader said. "You have mastered the technique of the Sith holocron. Now, let me see if you have mastered Force Lighting too."

Once again, the Stormtroopers pushed into the room a convict. Before he could have a chance to beg for mercy, James electrocuted him; he sent lightning bolts at him and the man's body convulsed as the violent electrical current pulsed through him. Even the Stormtroopers who were guarding the room were terrified, just by hearing the convict's screams as he was being electrified. All of them were shivering and their hearts were throbbing in fear.

"Your progress is remarkable.", Vader said. "You can go get revenge for the death of your mother; I have tracked the gang that killed her in Nar Shaddaa."

Hearing this brought joy to James; he laughed and said, "At last! I will have my revenge!"

"Once you kill them, you are to return here immediately. I will send you to hunt down and exterminate the remaining Jedi."

"With pleasure…"

* * *

The next night, Ben and Nara met once again in the sand dunes to train. The pitch-black curtain draped over the sky. A canopy of luminous stars materialized amongst the ocean of blackness. Under the dazzling stars, Nara greeted her teacher. "Master, before we train do you want me to play some music?"

"Music?", Ben asked.

"In my free time, I play music. My uncle Jolee taught me. I thought you might want to listen to it."

"I would love to hear it.", Ben said. "I appreciate good music."

Nara was joyous that Ben had agreed to her request. So she began playing her zither, a musical stringed instrument consisting of many strings stretched across a thin, flat body. The music came quick but at the same time had a calming effect. The music soared through the air like an eagle, taking with it the very souls of those who listened to it. Ben could feel peace in his heart and relax hearing this music. His past had been troubling him and the responsibility of teaching Nara had made him tense but this music cleared his mind of all thoughts. 'If only I could spend the rest of my life listening to this music…', he thought.

"Your music is fantastic!", Ben said.

Hearing Ben praise her, Nara smiled. Ben was reminded of Anakin; both he and Nara were full of emotions and life. He wasn't sure if this was a good or bad thing though. Remembering Anakin and how their friendship ended, he sighed. 'I am sure that if Anakin was here, he would love Nara's music.', he thought.

"Last time, I taught you the Jedi Code.", Ben said. "Can you recite it for me?"

"Yes.", Nara said. "There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is the Force."

"It is good that you can recite the Code, but you must also understand the meaning behind the words. Can you explain the Code to me?"

"Through freeing oneself of emotion a Jedi becomes a being of peace. Emotions lead to the Dark Side. No one is ignorant, the path a Jedi follows is a path that brings forth knowledge. As to the Jedi, the Dark Side is a path of those unwilling to learn this knowledge. There is no passion as it is a form of attachment which leads to the Dark Side. There is only serenity and calm. Jedi do not create chaos or destroy, they seek balance in all things. Jedi become one with the force when they die, so they don't see it as death."

"Good.", Ben said. "But you must not only understand the meaning of the Code but also follow it."

"I will do my best to do so and not disappoint you."

Suddenly, a shooting star appeared in the sky. Seeing it, Nara said; "Make a wish!"

Ben laughed. "It is better if you are the one who makes the wish."

'My wish is to stay forever by my teacher's side and spend the rest of my life with him.', she thought.

"Can you perform the sword form I taught you yesterday?", Ben asked.

Nara put force behind every move she made. She whirled her lightsaber and then made horizontal cuts. Her attacks were swift and precise. Seeing how she had mastered the sword form, Ben smiled. 'Her talent is rare.', he thought. 'Few people are as gifted as she is and even fewer are as kind hearted and simple, even naïve. With her, there is hope that the Jedi Order can rise again.'

After a long time of doubt and depression, Ben was feeling confident again about the future of the Jedi. He was also surer than ever that he had made the right choice in taking Nara as his disciple. For the first time in a long time, he was genuinely happy.


	5. Chapter 5 - Darth Maul

Thanks to figbassist75, Gu Long and LoveFiction2017 for the reviews.

* * *

 **Chapter 5 - Darth Maul**

 _"Revenge is an act of passion...injuries are revenged." - Samuel Johnson_

It was early in the morning. The suns were still below the horizon but the sky was already more bluish than charcoal. A lone man clad in black was walking in the sand dunes. He looked weary but determined. The man had horns atop his red head but his dark hood hid them. His legs were robotic and he walked with the help of a grey walking stick. That man had long forgotten his birth name. Now, he was known as Maul, the name his former Master, Sidious, had given to him. Once, he was a Sith Lord; he was destined for greatness. But those days had long passed by. His legs were cut off by Obi Wan Kenobi, his Master abandoned him. In his quest for revenge, he killed Duchess Satine Kryze, leader of the Mandalorians and the woman Obi Wan loved, but he lost his brother Opress.

After such tribulations, failures and losses, others would have given up or would have lost their mind. But Maul was not like others; his flaming desire for revenge, for taking back what was rightfully his, kept him going. His singular hatred for Kenobi motivated him. It was the only purpose of his life. If he put it behind him, he would have no purpose, no reason to live. He _needed_ to hate Kenobi, so that he could keep going. Without Kenobi, there could be no Maul.

As the suns were still below the horizon, it was chilling cold in the sand dunes. A cool gust of wind made Maul feel even colder. As he walked forward, he said; "I hope she is here... It would be frustrating to have traveled so long for nothing."

* * *

Vader was in his meditation chamber, which was three meters in diameter and flattened on the bottom, designed to nestle in a hexagonal dais. His mask was removed, showing his scarred face. Anger and hatred were flaring up inside him; but also regret and a sense of sadness. A few tears came down his cheeks. 'Padme'. That was his only thought. Suddenly, an alarm ringed. As he put on his mask and helmet, the chamber parted in two hemispheres and revealed him. The one who had come to see him was James.

"I've killed them.", he said, referring to the murderers of his mother. There was a smirk on his face.

"There is no time for you to lose.", Vader said. "Now that you have taken revenge, you must go to those coordinates."

He then gave to James a datapad. James inspected it; the coordinates led to Taris. He had been there before. "Is it a Jedi I am hunting?"

"No. A former Sith. His name is Maul. He is extremely dangerous and very powerful in the Force. Do not attack him without my permission. You must track him down and inform me of his location."

"I will do so immediately."

"Do not disappoint me!", Vader sternly said as the chamber closed once again.

* * *

Maul wasn't the only one who was in the sand dunes early in the morning. Nara was practicing with her lightsaber; her movements were fast and there was great strength put in each swing of the lightsaber. Ben was smiling in approval.

"You have made much progress, but it is the real world where Jedi prove themselves as being worth of their reputation.", Ben said. "If we cannot solve the problems of the common people and use our powers for good, then all this training is for naught."

"I understand.", Nara replied.

"I want to give you a chance to prove that you have understood all that I have taught you. The sand people, as you know, have been attacking villagers recently. I want you to investigate those attacks."

"I will not disappoint you."

"Good."

Ben then noticed the medallion that Nara was wearing around her neck. There was a gleaming red stone set in the center. Ben could not tell why, but he felt uneasy about this medallion.

"Where did you get this?", he asked and pointed at the medallion.

Nara sighed. "It's from my father. He gave it to me a few years ago before he died. I usually do not wear it but today it would be my father's birthday, if he was still alive, so I decided to wear it. It reminds me of him."

Nara remembered the time when her father was still alive. The memories she had of him were sharp, and cut right through her everytime she thought about that time. Even the sweet good moments had turned into a knife, piercing her soul. Seeing her like this, Ben said; "Do you want to postpone the task for tomorrow?"

Nara gave a smile and said, "No need. I have to investigate those attacks. That is what my father would want me to do; to help other people."

"I will be going to your uncle's emporium, so I will not be able to help you. Good luck and may the Force be with you.", Ben said and hurried away, so as to not be late for work.

Although Nara tried to show confidence before Ben, she was puzzled as to what to do next. She had no idea why the sand people had suddenly began attacking villagers or where they came from. 'The sand people usually attack villagers who travel north of the village', she thought. 'If I go there and trace some of them, I might be able to follow them to their headquarters.'

Nara walked to the north of the village. By that time, the twin suns had already risen and were brightening the clear blue sky of Tatooine. Powerful rays flooded over the landscape. As she was walking, Nara could sense that someone was following her. Suddenly, a sand man appeared from behind a sand dune. He charged forward with his gaffi stick. She dodged it but its spike scratched a bit her left shoulder. She let out a cry.

'I must do something fast!', she thought. She concentrated and used the Force to push away the sand man. When he charged again, Nara had already ignited her lightsaber. With a swift strike, Nara cut in two the sand man's stick and pointed her lightsaber to his face. She could have easily killed him, and for a moment thought of doing so, but she hesitated. She remembered what Ben had told her; 'All life is sacred. Jedi do not kill; they spare the life of even their greatest opponents.'

Thus, she lowered her lightsaber. Suddenly, she heard the sound of someone clapping. The red stone on her medallion gleamed brightly. She turned around, giving the chance to the sand man to run away. She saw a figure clad in dark. It was none other than Maul. He was smiling. "The Force vision I saw was true after all..."

Nara pointed her lightsaber at the man. "Who are you?", she asked. She could feel the anger and hatred of Maul and a chilling coldness overtook her.

"Who am I?", Maul repeated laughing. "Once I had a name, but I do not remember it anymore. The one I use now is...Maul. What about you? What is a Jedi doing on this desolate planet?"

"What do you want?", Nara said, ignoring Maul's questions.

"That is simple; I want you and that medallion of yours. If you come with me, you can gain great power. I doubt there is any living Jedi Master here, so the only way to hone your skills and complete your training is if you join me. Together, we can have great destiny."

"I will never join you."

Maul smiled. "We shall see..."

Nara suddenly felt a terrible headache as Maul attempted to probe into her mind. "You are strong willed", Maul said, "but you are no match for a Sith Lord!". Nara tried to resist but this wasn't the first time Maul had tried to probe into the mind of a Jedi. "I can sense your feelings... Interesting, you seem to have no hatred, no greed. Your thoughts are pure... Is this a trick?"

"Not...everyone is a scumbag like you!", Nara shouted.

"Indeed.", Maul replied. "But few are so pure in their thoughts."

All of the sudden, Maul clenched his fists and teeth. "Huh?! Kenobi is your Master? Interesting... This saves me from wasting time searching for him. I am tempted to try killing him right now but I know I am not strong enough yet. I will kill him once I get the holocron though."

Maul paused for a moment. "I can sense anger now that I mentioned your Master. It gives you power, you can surely feel this. It makes you powerful. I can also feel...love? You are in love with your teacher? Now, _that_ is interesting."

"That can't be true!", Nara said. "Jedi are not allowed to love. I just admire Master and see him as a friend, I am not in love with him."

"Your mind says otherwise... I wonder how Kenobi would react if he learned that his disciple is in love with him? Fear...you do not want him to learn it. I can feel it. I can also feel your anger; you want me dead, silenced. Let your emotions guide you."

"Maul!", someone shouted.

Maul saw that it was none other than Ben. He had felt a sense of danger and darkness when he was in the emporium and he was guided here by the Force. He came just in time to help Nara. "Let her go!", Ben said.

Nara used Maul's distraction to strike at him with her lightsaber. Maul activated his walking stick, which was a red lightsaber in disguise, and used it to easily block Nara's attack. He then used the Force to push her away. "Not bad...", he said, "but you do need more training."

He then turned to Ben. "Long time no see. It seems that we meet once again."

"Let go of hatred; you still have a chance to redeem yourself.", Ben said.

Maul sneered. "Do you know how painful it is to be crippled, abandoned by your Master, be discarded? No, you don't. That's why you will never understand the full extend of my hatred for you! Let go of my hatred? Ha! What a joke! My hatred for you is what gives me strength, power. Letting it go means giving up my powers!"

"Then I will do what I must..."

Ben charged at Maul, but he dodged the attack. He then lunged forward and pushed back Ben with vicious and quick attacks. Ben remained calm and focused on the battle, stepping back but easily blocking the Sith Lord's attacks. Maul leaped forward and slashed three times in quick succession at Ben.

"You have improved.", Ben admitted as he countered Maul's attacks.

"Are you holding back on purpose?", an enraged Maul barked. He knew that Ben was better than him and so he was surprised that he had managed to get him on the defensive.

Maul struck at Ben with even greater fury; but he did not even move his feet. His lightsaber flickered and stabbed Maul's shoulder. Ben then moved agilely and slashed his lightsaber across Maul's right cheek. Blood poured down. Empowered by his pain and anger, Maul Force pushed Ben and attempted to flee, but Ben used the Force to jump and land before him.

"Going somewhere?", Ben asked with a smile on his face. "You still have a chance to turn away from the Dark Side."

"You were indeed holding back on purpose. You are more powerful than me. I have to admit my defeat.", Maul said and sighed. But, while he was talking, Maul managed to secretly work a number of darts into his left palm. Suddenly, Maul flung the darts at Ben; the Jedi dodged most of them, but one penetrated his right shoulder. Nara, seeing this, let out a cry and charged at Maul but he easily blocked her attack.

"You Master is going to die!", Maul said. "No one can survive my poisonous darts!"

Ben charged at Maul. The attack came so fast, that Maul had no time to react nor defend against it. Ben's lightsaber stabbed through Maul's chest. As he collapsed on the ground, vomiting blood and bleeding, he smiled. "I...won...", he said and let out his final breath. Ben closed the eyes of his dead opponent and said, "Rest in peace."

As he said those words, Ben felt his leg weak. His face was pale and he was feeling dizzy. He was about to fall over but Nara rushed to his side and helped him stand up. "Master!", she cried out. "How are you feeling?"

"I..."

"I will get you to your room to rest.", Nara said. Her heart beat fast and she was worried; her face stiffened but she forced a weak smile to hide her worry.

* * *

James was in a dark apartment in Taris. His footsteps echoed throughout the empty hall. Flickering lights left on illuminated the pathway just enough to see by. Water dripped somewhere, creating a hollow pinking noise. 'It seems that Maul left in a hurry', James thought. He then noticed a computer panel. He activated it and installed a usb device to allow him to hack into the system. As soon as he successfully hacked into the system, he began searching the numerous files for anything deemed important and which could give a clue to Maul's current location. After about an hour, he activated his hologram projector. The figure of Vader appeared before him.

"Is there any development?", the Dark Lord asked. "Have you tracked down Maul?"

"Maybe. I have discovered a diaries of sorts where he seems have kept notes but I cannot make much sense of it.", James replied. "It talks about an ancient Sith holocron that belonged to one Darth Revan."

"Revan?, Vader repeated, surprised to hear that name.

"It also says that in order to open the holocron, one needs the six devices of the Dark Side. Maul seems to have discovered on which planets the devices are, but in the notes it says that in order to find their exact location and get them one needs the guardian and her medallion. Also, only the guardian can use the devices to open the holocron."

"Who is the guardian?!", Vader asked. "If I can get my hands on this holocron, my powers will increase vastly. According to legend, Darth Revan hid all his knowledge of the Dark Side in that holocron. For centuries, everyone thought this was just an old legend. If it is real, then no one will be able stop me once I learn Revan's secrets."

"The last note Maul left says that he saw the guardian in a Force vision of his. It is a young girl on a desert planet. Maul guessed that she must be in Tatooine and has gone there. The girl should have a medallion with a glowing red stone on it."

"You must immediately follow him to Tatooine!", Vader ordered. "This mission is of vital importance. Do not fail me!"


	6. Chapter 6 - Poison

Thanks to figbassist75 and LoveFiction2017 for the reviews. It took me a long time to write this chapter because I had lot of work to do lately but now I have far more free time, so you can expect new chapters sooner.

* * *

 **Chapter 6 - Poison**

Ben was lying on his bed. His face was pale and he was coughing. Nara was besides and looking after him. Seeing him like this, her eyes became glazed with a glassy layer of tears. As she blinked, they dripped from her eyelids and slid down her cheeks. She bit her lip tightly in attempt to hide any sound that wanted to escape from her mouth. Seeing her like that, Ben's heart sank. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain. He bent over as sharply as if he'd been punched in the stomach, and drops of blood spattered his lap and knees and the feet.

"Master!", Nara cried out.

"The...medicine you gave me... has no effect. Maul's...poison is too strong..."

He held her hand and said, "I am going to die in a week at most. I can use the Force to suppress the poison for a while but... I am not going to survive. When I die, you will be one...one...of the last of the Jedi. You must help...me; you have to...look after a boy."

"You mustn't talk like that! You are going to make it."

Ben was going to say something but Nara said, "Master, you should rest. The doctor will be coming here soon. I am sure that he will find a way to cure you."

Ben smiled. "I do not think he will be able to..."

Ben suddenly felt a sharp pain on his chest. He coughed and vomited some blood. "He...will not be able to do much. As you can see, I am not going to make it."

"You will! I will move heaven and earth to save you."

Nara left the room; when she returned a moment later, she brought a bowl filled with soup with her. The soup was the color of an autumnal vegetable garden. "This soup is hot; it will strengthen you too. Its herbs help the blood flow."

Ben took the soup bowl in his hands. He inhaled the air; it was fragrant. As he tasted it, he exclaimed; "It tastes very good."

* * *

Han's Cantina was the best place to have fun in Mos Eisley. Jazz music. Gorgeous Twi'lek dancers dancing in sexy outfits. Smoke and laugher. The place was crowded with people. Species from all over the galaxy were gathering here, drinking, chatting and sometimes blasting each other. On the far left corner of the Cantina, a lone man was sitting, drinking a Coruscant Javu Cocktail. He was a man in his late twenties, with shaggy brown hair, brown eyes and a vibroblade scar on his right cheek. He was wearing black shirt and trousers and a dark blue jacket.

James walked into the cantina. He had been told that the pilot that brought Maul to Tatooine was here. He examined the surroundings and when he saw the lone man he approached him, sat on a chair opposite to him and said, "Hello. You are Arthurn, I suppose?"

"Indeed, I am!", Arthurn said with a smug smile on his face. "Best pilot in all of Mos Eisley. What can I do for you?"

"I heard you brought here a red Zabrak. Is that true?"

Arthurn sipped his cocktail and said, "If you pay me a few credits, I can tell you."

James moved his hand and began force choking him. Arthurn almost spilled his drink. He felt as someone was strangling him and could barely breathe. "Ple…plea…please…."

James let him breath and Arthurn breathed heavily and swept the cold sweat on his forehead. "I...I...yes, there was a red...Zabrak."

"Where has he gone? Tell me!"

"He was heading to Douz village. I am sure he must be there!"

"Good...", James said with a smile on his face. "Actually you may be of use to me... If I pay you ten thousand credits, can I hire you as a pilot?"

Arthurn took a Corellian cigarette from his pocket and began smoking. "Well, that certainly sounds like an interesting offer... We have a deal, I suppose. I don't really like you, but I never say no when I am offered money."

* * *

After many hours of walking under the scorching suns of Tatooine, James finally reached Douz village. In the unrelenting glare of midday the only shadow was that which pooled at his feet. The suns were baking his dark hair. He was sweating and tired. 'I do hope that Arthurn was right and Maul is here... Hopefully he will not have gone too far from here.'

At the village everything shut down this time of the day; the streets were bare and most people were inside their houses. James could only see a few villagers, most of them old people who were hardened and used to the heat. Suddenly, James saw a beautiful young girl who looked most worried; but what really caught his eyes was her medallion with its glowing red stone on it. It matched the description he found in Maul's notes. He also sensed that the Force was strong with her. 'She must be the one Maul was writing about...', he thought. 'She is strong in the Force. If she could be turned to the dark side, she would be a great asset to my cause.'

That girl was none other than Nara. She was waiting for the doctor to arrive to the village; the doctor was coming from a nearby settlement. Her heart beat fast, she could almost hear its tumultuous thudding. She clenched her fists tightly. "Where is he?". Suddenly, she saw the doctor; he was a tall, lean man in his forties dressed in a black outfit.

When she saw him, Nara rushed towards him and said, "Doctor, please hurry."

The doctor smiled and said, "Greetings. Please bring me to the patient."

As Nara was leading the doctor to Ben, James was following closely behind. When Nara and the doctor walked into the room where Ben was resting, James was waiting outside; he was eavesdropping and looking through the window. The doctor approached Ben and examined him. Nara was waiting his reply worryingly. She paced the floor, trying to keep herself busy. As memories of her time with Ben surfaced, she swallowed hard, willing her eyes to remain dry and her mind focused.

The doctor sighed. "I am terribly sorry but I do not think he will be able to make it."

"I am sure that you can do something!", Nara said.

"The only way he can be saved is if he is given the antidote of the poison, but the antidote's ingredients are most rare. He cannot be saved, I am sorry. I will have to leave."

The doctor walked out of the room. Before Nara could say anything, Ben held her hand and said, "The doctor is right. I...am done for."

The tears burst forth like water from a dam, spilling down Nara's face. She felt the muscles of her chin tremble.

"There is no need to feel sad.", Ben said as he wiped off her tears. "Remember the Jedi Code? 'There is no death, there is the Force'. I will become one with the Force when I die."

"I will not give up on you.", Nara said. "I am sure that there will be a way to save you."

She then walked out of the room. As she was walking on the empty streets of the village, pondering what to do next, James was following closely behind. Nara at first did not think much about it but as time passed and the stranger seemed to follow her, she got suspicious.

"Who are you?", Nara asked.

"My name is James.", he smilingly replied. "I overheard your discussion with that doctor. I also happen to have in my possession the antidote that can clear your friend's poison."

"Why should I trust and why would a stranger give me that antidote?"

"I can give you a pill; take it to your friend and he will instantly feel better. It will not cure him, but it will show that I am not lying. As to why would I give you the antidote, meet me here once you have confirmed that what I am saying is the truth."

"How do I know this pill will not harm him?"

James smiled. "You don't, but do you want to throw away the only hope you have of saving your friend?"

Nara was suspicious of the man; how could she trust a total stranger? How could she know that the pill would not harm Ben? But, on the other hand, that man was the only hope she had of saving Ben. No matter what, she would _never_ give up on him. She would _not_ let him die. Ben was the most important person in her life, even thought they had not know each other for too long. Maul had said that she loved him. Nara had tried to deny it but after reflection she was now certain about it; she did _love_ Ben.

* * *

It was late in the evening. The heat of the day had ebbed to a comforting warmth. The sunshine had lost its brightness. James was still waiting for Nara. 'Will she come?', he wondered when she saw Nara walking towards him.

"So?", James asked.

"The pill indeed made Ben feel much better.", Nara admitted. Although she still did not trust James, at least she knew that he was not lying about having the antidote.

"This pill will extend his life for two months.", James said. "But if he does not get the antidote, he will die eventually."

"What do you me to do in exchange for the antidote? I am willing to go through hell to get it."

James laughed. "Well, what I ask is something easier than that. I want you to follow me to six planets. You and your medallion will indicate the location of some objects I want to obtain. Once this done, I will give you the antidote."

Nara was baffled by James' request. How could she or her medallion indicate the location of those objects? What were those objects? "What are you talking about?", she said. "I know nothing of those objects. How will I or my medallion indicate anything?"

"There is no need for you to know anything more than what I say. The question is; will you do as I say and save your friend or shall you reject my offer and let him die a painful death?"

Nara had no idea what items James was after or what his goals were but she was certain about one thing; she _had_ to save Ben, even if it meant following a stranger she could not trust to foreign lands she had never seen. All this time she dreamed about going to the stars, visiting other planets; but this time she felt a reeling sense of sadness about leaving her village, the place where she grew up and had spent all of her. But she had to do it.

"I will follow you."

"Good. Very good."

"I will meet you here in a few hours.", Nara said and left to prepare for the journey.

As soon as she left, James activated his hologram projector. Darth Vader appeared on it and asked, "Have you found the girl?"

"Unfortunately, not yet. But I have found out who she is and I do know her current location; she is on Malhald. She left a few weeks ago."

"You must go find her before Maul does. Do not fail me!", Vader sternly said and ended the communication.

James smiled. "Vader thinks he is smart but this time he has miscalculated... The holocron is going to be mine! With its powers, I can kill Vader and take his place as the Emperor's enforcer. That is the way of the Sith..."

* * *

Nara had finished writing the letter to her uncle, notifying him that she was going to leave. Now, she began writing a letter to Ben. She did not want to tell to either her uncle or Ben in person that she was going to leave. She knew that they would try to dissuade her from going away.

 _'Master, I am sorry for not notifying you in person about this but I am going to be away for a few weeks. I have found a way to get the antidote to cure your poison. I know that you have told me many times that you do not fear death but I do not want you to die. I promised that I will find a way to cure you poison and I will do just that. Farewell.'  
_


End file.
